I know for some, the ‘C’ word should only be uttered during the month of December, not a day before and definitely not in February but bear with me. 

I’m talking about Christmas of course and in particular, something that’s planned at one of Europe’s most well-known shopping destinations.

This brings me on to my second ‘C’ – change. Oxford Street in London is destined for some big changes this year and by the time the next festive season rolls around, if all goes to plan, it will be vehicle-free. Now, whether you’re partial to a bit of retail therapy or not, you’ll no doubt have heard of the famous street. With hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants, Oxford Street and the surrounding district attracts millions of visitors every year and it’s only getting busier.

Artists’ impressions of what a pedestrianised Oxford Street could look like show green space, seating and public art. Personally, I think it looks pretty good, much better than streams of traffic sitting bumper to bumper.

But with any change, especially to somewhere that is used by so many people, there will always be a mix of opinions for and against the pedestrianisation plans. Naturally, as comms people, it is how those plans have been communicated that peaked our interest.

So, what did Westminster City Council (WCC), working in partnership with the Mayor of London, and Transport for London (TfL), do to spread the word about the proposed changes?

Consultation

They embarked on two phases of public consultation. First held in June 2016, a roadshow travelled the borough with representatives from WCC and TfL on hand to talk through the plans and answer questions from locals. The issues raised were then discussed in more detail in focus groups with local residents and businesses so that they could be addressed before embarking on phase two.

The second phase gave people the opportunity to have their say on the plans that were shaped from responses they received during the first phase. This critical phase was even extended so that people who were busy over the 2017 festive period had more time to make sure their views were included.

Charities

(I’m not just picking all ‘C’ words, I promise) The plans were endorsed by several high-profile charities including the British Heart Foundation and walking and cycling charity, Sustrans. As a result, these charities effectively became ambassadors for the proposed changes. Being backed by organisations other than council officials help to give plans credibility and reach a wider audience.

Media relations

A change as big as this was always going to attract media attention, so it’s not a surprise to see coverage picked up across a broad range of local, national and trade titles. But as well as supplying the press release to the media, plans and CGI images were also distributed meaning that the public were as informed as widely as possible. This was followed up by media interviews with Mayor Sadiq Khan and other influential supporters of the scheme, including politician Zac Goldstein, providing a wider reach for the news and giving the plans further gravitas.

The results of the second phase of public consultation haven’t yet been revealed but so far it seems to be going well. Over 12,000 people responded during the first phase, even Uber has spoken out backing the plans, and it has sparked calls for more car-free zones across London.

Whether you’re creating a new space or evolving one of the most famous streets in the world, keeping people informed is the golden rule to keeping them on side. Get this bit right and you’ll create true ambassadors and advocates for your project who will go a long way to help you make your new development a success.